


The Bar Master

by flyingwargle



Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Complete, Friendship, Gen, He's still a kid, Oneshot, don't be too harsh, especially genta, hopefully the detective boys aren't that annoying, it's kids doing kid things, minor Agasa Hiroshi appearance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:08:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29417658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flyingwargle/pseuds/flyingwargle
Summary: A storm catches the Detective Boys by surprise. Fortunately, they take shelter at The Blue Parrot and meet its elderly owner.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 52





	The Bar Master

The heavy gray clouds were meant to hold off their downpour until later in the evening, though the meteorologist advised to bring an umbrella for those who had to venture outside. Conan nor Haibara were unsurprised when they met with their empty-handed friends, who insisted that they could easily make do without one since all they were headed for was the new game center that opened in Ekoda, and they’d be finished long before the storm would begin.

However, weather was fickle, which was how they found themselves dashing along the soaked sidewalk to the nearest storefront for shelter.

“Ah! Ayumi is all wet!” Ayumi cried, blinking forlornly at her sodden leggings and skirt.

“Me, too,” Genta grumbled as he rubbed his bare arms against his drenched T-shirt.

Mitsuhiko offered his handkerchief to Ayumi, promptly sneezing after she accepted it. His cheeks turned red when Haibara held hers out for him, eyes focused on Conan. “Any luck with the professor?”

“He’s not answering. I guess his panel went on for longer than anticipated.” He scrolled through the rest of his contacts with a frown. “I’ll try Subaru-san and Amuro-san next…”

The children huddled closer together as cars drove by, precariously close to the puddles that pooled over storm drains. Several adults shot sympathetic glances in their direction when they walked by with wide-brimmed umbrellas, though none of them stepped forth to offer assistance. A few ran by, just as unprepared as the children were. Conan examined his surroundings while he waited for someone to pick up. He took note of the staircase that led to the second-floor establishment and faded tiled hidden in the shadows. The _izakaya_ next door was closed, and the boutique on the other side appeared to be vacant.

A slight pause jerked his attention back to the call, only to deflate when it went to voicemail. He hung up and glanced at the group, shaking his head in response to their hopeful eyes. “Neither of them picked up. We can either find someplace to wait out the rain or go home like this.”

“I’m sure our residential wallet has enough funds to provide for emergency umbrellas at the nearest convenience store?” Haibara asked with a small smirk of amusement.

“I’m out of money.” He held his empty wallet out. “Genta used it all on the claw machine.”

“We were so close to getting that stuffed animal!” Genta exclaimed defensively.

Haibara sighed. “In that case, we can shelter at the bar upstairs while we wait. I recognize it – I believe the owner is a friend of the professor’s.”

“Really?” Ayumi stepped toward the sign to try to decipher the katakana. “Bu-ru…Pe…Pe…”

“ _Buru Perroto_. The Blue Parrot.” Conan’s eyes lit up with recognition. “I think I came here for a case with Uncle Kogoro. It was dark, so I didn’t realize we were in the area.”

“If the owner is here, I’m sure he won’t mind sheltering children in the meantime.” Haibara led the way up the stairs. Conan took the rear, and they arrived at a single closed door whose handle was too high for any of them except for Genta. He grunted as he pulled it open.

They stepped into a dim-lit bar. Rain assaulted the large windows on the far wall, gray light casting ominous shadows on the unoccupied billiards tables. The bar took up the majority of the space, and a variety of glass bottles filled the shelves that ranged from various shapes and colors. Stools were lined on the opposite side, and an elderly man was hunched over the counter in front of a laptop. He straightened up when the bell attached to the door chimed, astonished gaze aimed at them until he focused on Haibara. “Oh, dear, aren’t you the girl who lives with Agasa-san?”

She nodded. “Yes. My friends and I were caught in the storm and stopped in front of your bar. Can we wait here until the professor comes to pick us up?”

“Of course. Feel free to take a seat and I’ll prepare warm drinks.” He gestured toward the stools, unbothered by the wet trail that followed their footsteps. “My name is Jii Konousuke. What are your names?”

“I’m Yoshida Ayumi!” Ayumi chirped.

“My name is Tsuburaya Mitsuhiko,” Mitsuhiko said with a polite bow.

“I’m Kojima Genta!” Genta’s shout nearly drowned his friend’s response.

“Edogawa Conan.” Conan hopped onto the stool, barely able to see over the counter, but enough to notice how spotless it was. Haibara sat beside him, at ease. She must trust this man, as evidenced by her calm demeanor.

“It’s a pleasure to meet all of you. Agasa-san spoke extensively about a group of children that he created gadgets for and programmed video games. Please stay here for as long as you need until he arrives – I doubt I’ll get any customers due to the weather.”

There was a hint of melancholy, though it was masked with relief. Conan craned his neck to try to catch a glimpse of the laptop screen, but Jii promptly closed it and slipped it away. He excused himself to the back to heat up milk and gave his permission for the children to explore.

The trio hopped off their stools and dashed toward the billiard tables, stretching on their toes to be able to see the surface. Conan had played billiards before while on vacation with his parents, and once with Ran when she invited him to a new café that opened near her home. He had taught her the game and she struggled to gauge her strength, whereas he had pinpoint accuracy. Whereas karate demanded strength, soccer required a balance between precision and power.

“Have you ever played billiards before?” Haibara’s inquiry broke into his thoughts. He glanced at her.

“Yeah, a few times. Have you?”

“Once.” Her eyes softened with nostalgia. “Neither my sister nor I knew how to play but we knew we had to shoot the balls in numerical order. It was…a fun memory, nonetheless.”

“Hey, check this out!” Genta’s call shook them both from their reverie. Conan looked up, noticing the giant point was waving them over. The pair jumped down to join them.

Ayumi pointed to the wall. “That stick looks so pretty!” A pool cue was mounted in a holster on the wall, encrusted jewels gleaming. “What is it?”

“That is called the legendary cue.” Jii’s voice cut across the room. They turned to watch him emerge and approach, placing his tray on top of one of the billiard tables. He reached over to retrieve it and kneel down for the children to inspect. “I had lost it for a time but someone very precious to me won it back.”

“Wow,” Mitsuhiko breathed. “Are those jewels real?”

“Yes. This cue’s monetary worth is high, but the emotional worth is priceless.” He placed it back into the case and distributed the mugs of steaming hot milk. “If you’re interested, I believe I have a child’s sized table in the storage. I’d be more than happy to teach you.”

The children cheered in agreement. Conan held his mug in one hand while he contacted Agasa with the other, slipping his phone to his ear. He stepped to the side when the call connected. “Professor?”

“Oh, Shinichi, is there a problem?”

“Yeah, we were hoping you’d be able to drive us back because of the rain. The others didn’t bring their umbrellas.” He shot an exasperated look over his shoulder. “We’re at your friend’s bar, The Blue Parrot.”

“I’m still at the conference,” Agasa said apologetically. “I should be finished in an hour and it’ll take half an hour to drive to Ekoda. If you’re with Konousuke-kun, you should be safe with him.”

“Take your time. He’s going to teach them how to play billiards.” Conan glanced over his shoulder at the elderly man crouched in between Ayumi and Mitsuhiko while he verbally explained the game. “We won’t be going anywhere any time soon.”

Once they’d finished their milk, the group followed Jii to the back storage to help search for the aforementioned billiard table. Conan stared at the shelves filled with props suitable for a magic show – from stands, mannequins, trick boxes, cloths, stage outfits, and mirrors. “Hey, Jii-san. Were you a magician?”

“I was once a magician’s assistant but never took the stage for myself.” Jii stood beside him, gently poking through the props. “He’s passed now, unfortunately, but I’ve kept his props for the day that another magician might find use in them.”

“Who was it?”

“You may not know him since he passed before your time, but he was the greatest magician in Japan – arguably, the world – Kuroba Toichi-sama.”

Haibara turned around from her inspection of dusted books. “I’ve heard of him from my sister. She always dreamed of watching one of his shows.”

“He excelled in stage magic and performed on stages across the world.” The elderly man’s tone reverberated with a deep respect that gave Conan pause. He watched Jii sigh and turn his back to step toward a different shelf. “He passed away in an unfortunate magic accident.”

“He doesn’t sound very good,” Genta mumbled. Both his friends elbowed him sharply. “Ow!”

“Ayumi would’ve liked to see his magic,” Ayumi said. “He sounds like a very important person to Jii-san!”

“Yes! If you kept all his props, that must mean you treasure him,” Mitsuhiko added.

Jii smiled. “Thank you. I also hope that his son will use them one day, too. He’s already quite skilled for his age, and if he comes to visit, I’ll ask him to put on a performance for you. Now…ah, here it is. Can someone please grab the cues and balls? Afterwards, we’ll need everyone’s help to carry this out.”

The table was covered in dust, which Haibara and Ayumi quickly remedied with a quick wipe, while the boys wiped down the balls and cues. Jii joined them a moment later and took a cue for himself to first teach them how to hold it properly. Conan and Haibara, who still remembered the game, stood to the side to watch.

As evening approached, the unrelenting storm seized the remaining sunlight and the barkeeper eventually turned the lights on brighter, out of consideration for his guests. The children caught on the games quickly, though the same couldn’t be said with their technique. Ayumi often missed her mark; Mitsuhiko’s hits were usually too light; and Genta’s were too hard. None of them were surprised at Conan’s precision nor Haibara’s calculated shots. Jii, too, was unable to hide his astonishment. “Well, color me impressed! Have you two played before?”

“A few times,” Conan answered. “I also play soccer, so I usually have good aim!” Haibara nodded in agreement, although her precision came from the need to balance chemicals in order to prevent disastrous results.

“Once you’re older, do come again to try the adult-sized billiard table,” Jii said. “I’m sure you’ll be able to attract quite a game with your skills. However, as far as I’m concerned, so long you enjoy the game, that is enough for me.”

“What about that person who got you that legendary cue back?” Conan asked, gesturing at it. “Are they also good at billiards?”

“Not in the slightest. However, that doesn’t deter him from playing with his friends to have an enjoyable time.” Jii hung his cue back up and stepped back to examine it. “Billiards can be played with anyone, no matter the skill level. The same can be said with magic, as well – anyone can enjoy it, no matter if you wish to uncover the trick or want to be bedazzled. That’s why the two are so deeply intertwined.”

The door flew open before any of them could reply. They turned to blink at Agasa, drenched from the rain, breathing heavily. “Hello,” he said with a sheepish smile. “You all look like you’re having a fun time.”

“Welcome, Agasa-san. Did you want to join us for a game?”

He shook his head. “I should get the children home. It’s getting late, after all. Sorry to have imposed on you, Konousuke-kun.” The children echoed his apology.

“Oh, no, it was my pleasure to host all of you! Please feel free to come by any time,” Jii added. “Whether it’s to shelter from a storm or to say hello, I’ll be here.”

They headed for the door after Jii declined their offer to help clean up, saying that he would consider leaving the children’s table out for any small guests that may cross his path. Conan glanced over his shoulder to watch the elderly man return to the bar and pull his laptop back out, falling back into the position he had been before. When a voice called out for him, Conan let the door close and hurried down the stairs, heading toward the Beetle, stoic against the rainfall.

* * *

Later that evening, a drenched phantom thief clad in white entered the bar, water trailing behind him as he dragged his feet toward his assistant. He placed the stolen jewel on the counter before systematically peeling away his soaked gloves, hat, monocle, and suit jacket. “I couldn’t check it because of the rain, so keep it somewhere else for me, Jii-chan.”

“Of course.”

“Did you finish researching about the next target?”

“I apologize – I was occupied this afternoon and had just finished. I have yet to begin searching for floor plans.”

Kaito raised an eyebrow. “Occupied with what?”

“I had a few unexpected guests come in today.” Jii handed him a towel, as well as the change of clothes that the high schooler had left behind. “They were friends of the professor friend I mentioned before.”

“Oh, right. The one who helps make all of Kaitou Kid’s gadgets.” Kaito quickly changed, sighing in relief as he removed the wet pieces for dry ones. He walked toward the billiard table, noticing the child-sized table set up close to the one that had been tricked out to contain the phantom thief’s arsenal. “I remember Dad bought this. He tried to teach me and Aoko. I didn’t know he gave it to you.”

“Yes, it was one of the many items that he passed onto me.”

“Guess he didn’t do a good job of it since we’re both terrible,” Kaito said with a small chuckle.

His assistant joined him. “There was a young boy among those children who came by. He was quite skilled – he said he attributed his precision to his soccer playing.”

“Oh…?” The phantom thief smiled to himself. “I wish I could’ve seen it.”

Jii turned to face the darkened sky as the high schooler turned to find a jacket and prepare for the walk home. Perhaps there would be a day when the two of them would cross paths beyond their respective roles. Whenever that was, Jii would look forward to it.

**Author's Note:**

> this is a companion fic to [the motorbike](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28890993)! both fics can be read separately or together, whatever you'd like.
> 
> thank you for reading!


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